Facebook trims data breach to 29 million users as FBI probes

Cyber attackers stole data from 29 million Facebook accounts using an automated program that moved from one friend to the next, Facebook Inc (FB.O) said on Friday, as the social media company said its largest-ever data theft hit fewer than the 50 million profiles it initially reported.

The company said it would message affected users over the coming days to tell them what type of information had been accessed in the attack.

The breach has left users more vulnerable to targeted phishing attacks and could deepen their unease about posting to a service whose privacy, moderation and security practices have been called into question by a series of scandals, cybersecurity experts and financial analysts said.

The attackers took profile details such as birth dates, employers, education history, religious preference, types of devices used, pages followed and recent searches and location check-ins from 14 million users. For the other 15 million users, it was restricted to name and contact details.

Lawmakers and investors have grown more concerned that Facebook is not doing enough to safeguard data.

The company said it would message affected users over the coming days to tell them what type of information had been accessed in the attack.

The breach has left users more vulnerable to targeted phishing attacks and could deepen their unease about posting to a service whose privacy, moderation and security practices have been called into question by a series of scandals, cybersecurity experts and financial analysts said.

The attackers took profile details such as birth dates, employers, education history, religious preference, types of devices used, pages followed and recent searches and location check-ins from 14 million users. For the other 15 million users, it was restricted to name and contact details.

Lawmakers and investors have grown more concerned that Facebook is not doing enough to safeguard data.